CES: Rise of the iBeacons - Micro Location & Proximity Revolution

Rise of the iBeacons - Micro Location & Proximity Revolution Since 2003, IndoorLBS has been monitoring and evaluating the Location-Based Services industry, specifically the convergence of positioning technologies like WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, and sensor-based location technologies like accelerometers, gyroscopes, as alternative or complimentary positioning technologies to GPS.

As the IndoorLBS iBeacons expert LinkedIn Group predicted, iBeacons are "really happening" and are not "a hype." And this predication was made before American Eagle, Apple, Macy's launched their iBeacon-compatible apps in Nov and Dec of 2013. Companies surveyed and interviewed include Estimote, Radius Networks, Qualcomm, and over 50 more! Also, find out which iBeacons have been certified by Apple and approved by the FCC! (hint: any radio waves emitting devices for mass consumer deployment (i.e. phones, TVs) in US require FCC approval). Over 50 companies are featured that are working with Apple and Bluetooth Low Energy to enable next-generation of indoor location and proximity services. Case studies include retailers and venue owners that have already deployed iBeacons or are testing iBeacons for 2014 rollouts. The new era of "proximity" vs "location" is here. How will iBeacons impact the indoor mapping and navigation industry is also addressed. We also address how proximity and iBeacons make mapping indoors less necessary thanks to signage and how Apple might not pursue indoor maps the same way Google is.

The main features of the report, which is continuously updated, are the following: